Sphincteroplasty

One of the most effective treatments for bowel incontinence is a sphincteroplasty, which can repair defects in the sphincter muscles.

The anus has two muscles that control movements of the bowel. They look a lot like doughnuts, with one muscle inside the other. In a sphincteroplasty, your colorectal surgeon will first make a small incision near the anus. Once the injury is located, the muscle is freed from any scar tissue surrounding it and brought back together. The two ends are overlapped, restoring the muscle to a complete circle once again. Occasionally, a small drainage tube may be employed to drain any fluid that has collected. It will be removed before you leave the hospital.

After surgery your doctor will recommend exercises to strengthen the repaired muscle and retrain it. Eventually, you shouldn’t experience any more episodes of bowel incontinence.

If you're interested in learning more about spincheroplasty options, please make an appointment today.